Finding aid created by Katherine Cowan with funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, December 1999

History

Clara Lips was the daughter of Theodore Francis Lips (d. 1927) and Mary L. Lips. In 1898, the family lived in the West Arlington section of Baltimore, where Theodore was a well known figure in transportation, having worked for the B&O Railroad and later the Merchants and Miners Transportation Company. Clara, who later became a nurse, had two sisters - Emily and Mildred.

The selection of photographs in the album reflects the creator's enjoyment and interest in parks and country roads in Baltimore and the surrounding area. Locations documented by this collection include the Old Franklin (or Franklintown Rd.) leading from west Baltimore to Franklintown at the western edge of present-day Leakin Park. The road followed the course of Gwynn's Falls, which was the site of many 19th century mills, including five Calverton Mills, of which three were clustered north of Edmondson Ave. The Old Annapolis Road depicted is the predecessor of Ritchie Highway, a road that followed the general route of present day roads U.S. 301, Md. 178, and U.S. 50.

Collection Origin

Gift of Mrs. Augusta W. Lips, 1991 (003515).

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of 1 photograph album containing 64 gelatin silver prints from ca. 1898-1902. The album is inscribed on front cover: "To Clara / from A.J. Laciar / Xmas 1900". Most of the photos are captioned and dated. Images in Baltimore include several monuments and Druid Hill Park, with scenes of Silver Spring Road and Garrett's Bridge. Scenes in the Baltimore vicinity include Lake Roland and Loch Raven, a ravine at Stevenson, Md., and views of the Old Annapolis and Old Franklin Roads.

Many photographs depict people, who are unidentified. These include several groups of African American women and children photographed on the "Annapolis Pike". There is a group portrait from 1898 of Spanish Prisoners captured in the course of the Spanish American War. There are also several photos of buildings in Washington, D.C., both government buildings and businesses illuminated for the inauguration of President McKinley, 1901.

Arrangement

The photographs remain in the album.

Container List

1 Box

Album 1Emery Grove, 1900. 2 unidentified women.

The Chestnut Hunt, n.d. 2 unidentified people.

Old Franklin Road, 1900. Unidentified woman.

On the Annapolis Pike, 1900. Unidentified group portrait of 15 African American children. Duplicate/copy negative Z24.1583.

On the Annapolis Pike, 1900. Unidentified group portrait of a woman and children, including African Americans. Duplicate/copy negative Z24.1580.

Christmas, West Arlington, Md., 1900. Unidentified child with Christmas tree and toys. Train and soldiers, toy castle, dolls, large map of United States on wall. Duplicate/copy negative Z24.1847.

On the Old Franklin Road, 1901. Unidentified group portrait of 5 African American children with a goat cart. Duplicate/copy negative Z24.1452.